• This medicine does not mix well with many medicines. Serious reactions may occur. Check all medicines with healthcare provider.
• If you have an allergy to dihydroergotamine or any other part of this medicine.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• If you have any of the following conditions: Heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, poor circulation, poor intestinal blood flow, recent heart attack, severe infection, or uncontrolled high blood pressure.
• If you have taken isocarboxazid, phenelzine, or tranylcypromine in the last 14 days. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (eg, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine) must be stopped 14 days before this medicine is started. Taking the two together could cause dangerously high blood pressure.
• If you have taken almotriptan, frovatriptan, naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, or zolmitriptan in the last 24 hours.
• If you have taken ergotamine or methysergide in the last 24 hours.
• If you are pregnant or may be pregnant.
• If you are breast-feeding.
• Ergotamine squeezes certain blood vessels in the brain preventing irritation and inflammation.
Injection:
• This medicine is given as a shot into a muscle, vein, or into the fatty part of the skin.
• Your healthcare provider may teach you how to give the shot.
• Wash hands before and after use.
• Throw away needles in needle/sharp disposal box and return box to healthcare provider when full.
• If you get another attack the same day, do not use unless at least 6 hours have passed since your last shot.
Inhalation:
• For inhaling through the nostrils. Prime pump by squeezing it 4 times. Inhale 1 spray in each nostril. Wait 15 minutes. Inhale another spray in each nostril.
• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Follow up with healthcare provider.
• Store at room temperature. Do not freeze.
• Once the nasal spray is prepared, throw away any unused portion of the opened ampul after 8 hours.
• Protect injection from light.
Created: 2005-04-07 16:34:23.0
Modified: 2010-03-09 08:22:32.0
Lexi-PALS TM © (1977)-(2007) Lexi-Comp, Inc. All rights reserved.
• If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Most medicines can be thrown away in household trash after mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter and sealing in a plastic bag.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or in Canada to Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program at 1-866-234-2345.
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
• Avoid cigarette smoking.
• Use caution if you have risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol, overweight, diabetes, cigarette smoking, male older than 40 years of age, other family members with early heart disease, postmenopausal female). Talk with healthcare provider.
• Use birth control that you can trust to prevent pregnancy while taking this medicine.
• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Nasal irritation.
• Abnormal taste. This is usually reversible.
• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Change in strength on one side greater than the other, difficulty speaking or thinking, change in balance, or blurred vision.
• Chest pain or pressure or fast heartbeat.
• Numbness or tingling of hands or feet.
• Severe dizziness or passing out.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Severe muscle pain or weakness.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.
